Food Is Only Part of the Equation

I focus a lot on the importance of choosing the highest quality, most natural and organic foods you can for health... but in reality, the lifestyle changes I talk about are so much more than just food.

Choosing high-quality thoughts and ideas about ourselves and others, nurturing self-love and self-care, and cultivating joy and healthy boundaries are just a few of the other important components of a healthy lifestyle.

We Have More Power Over Our Lives Than We Realize

Meditation plays a huge role in my life. It helps to center me and reminds me that I have more power than I may feel in any situation: I have the power to decide how I let things affect me.

I often hear from clients and members about how their current life situations are affecting their success. Life is a series of events, some good, some tragic, but they all make us who we are.

And each situation gives us an opportunity to remake ourselves.

We don’t need to be defined by our failures or tragedies. Just as our successes don’t define useither.

When we start caring enough about ourselves to change what we eat, it’s only the beginning. I know for me, food was the launching pad for unimaginable happiness and joy. I started caring enough about myself to distance myself from things and people that didn’t fit into my life anymore.

I like to say, if it brings you joy, do it, if not, walk away.

Easier Said Than Done

I’m not naïve enough to think that this is easy. Nothing worth doing rarely ever is.

Speaking my truth and then following through with it is challenging for me. I’m inherently apeople pleaser, or at least I was for most of my life. So for me to set boundaries and thenstick to them when that means I could be disappointing people... this is my definition of uncomfortable.

What I know to be true is every time I find myself in a situation that is not in line with how I seemy life now, I feel like I’m spending a little piece of my heart and soul.

I love myself enough now to know these sacrifices are a betrayal to my spirit.

I wake most mornings (not all, for sure) with the intention of spreading joy and, in return, receiving joy. This feeds my spirit and elevates me to even greater heights of happiness.

For me, there is nothing more fulfilling than having a symbiotic relationship with others I come in contact with.

Symbiotic is the key word here. I know you all have encountered people I like to call “Energy Vampires”. These are people that no matter what you do, you find yourself spentand exhausted by just spending time around them. None of us want to be that person, butmore importantly, we need to recognize these people for who they are and love ourselvesenough to let them go with love.

A relationship with anyone or anything should leave us feeling better for being a part of it. The give and take is what allows us to give without feeling empty after it’s over.

Where to Start

Changing what you eat is just the beginning. As you start to become fully present in your life, aware of everything you put into your mouth and body, other changes will become easier.

You will recognize stressful situations and people for what they are and you’ll feel your bodyreact. You’ll be so in tune with yourself, you’ll be able to feel your blood pressure go up as youradrenaline spikes like it’s supposed to when you’re in a fight-or-flight situation.

Those adrenaline spikes create cortisol and cortisol converts into belly fat. That belly fat is a silent killer. Isn’t that enough to make you rethink the things in your life that aren't bringing you joy?

And remember, sometimes the situation isn’t necessarily “bad”, you might just need to find the joy in it.

My boys can get me wild and definitely send me to crazy town. During these times, I need to get centered and get right in my head and remember they are my loves.

When I see them happy and hear them laughing and they hug me "just because," that’s where my joy lives.

It’s a process and I’m so not perfect at it.

My Wish for You

I’ve had the honor and privilege of seeing many people experience transformations of spirit through my work as a Ketogenic Lifestyle Coach. I hear the joy in their voices and see them beginning to love themselves more and more as the weight comes off and their health comes back. It is a change at the deepest level of being.

For those of you who have yet to experience these changes, I know I speak for everyone in the It Starts With The Food community when I say that we would love to have you join us. You can read more about membership here and you can always jump on a free Discovery call with me if you're not sure what you need or where to start.

My wish for all of you is to love yourselves again... or maybe for the first time.

The most important relationship you’ll ever have is the one you have with yourself. I love my husband, family, and friends and will always go to the mat for any of them. But it wasn’t until I went to the mat for myself that I realized how much more important that is.

Loving myself, fighting for myself, changed every relationship in my life: the good relationships got so much better and the toxic ones were left behind.

I'm often reminded of what Glinda, from The Wizard of Oz, said to Dorothy,

You’ve always had the power, my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.